Defense lawyers want to delay Robert Seman capital murder trial

YOUNGSTOWN

Judge Maureen Sweeney today heard arguments on a motion in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to continue the capital murder trial of Robert Seman.

Seman, 47, of Green, could face the death penalty if convicted of the death of Corinne Gump, 10 and her grandparents, William and Judith Schmidt, in an arson March 30, 2015, at their Powers Way home the day Seman was to go on trial for raping the girl. Seman was free on bond at the time.

Orientation for jurors is expected to take place Friday.

Defense attorneys asked for the case to be continued because prosecutors plan to use testimony from a video Gump made to investigators about the rape.

Prosecutors said they will not use the video itself, but will instead use testimony from witnesses to tell jurors about the case.

Defense attorneys said they do not have enough time to study that evidence and prepare a defense strategy for it.

If convicted in the rape, Seman could have faced a life sentence.

Other issues being argued this morning include video surveillance from a drug store the morning of the arson and motions on witnesses who could rebut testimony on the reliability of house arrest monitoring equipment. Seman was on a monitoring bracelet for his bond at the time of the fire and witnesses who could testify about efforts prosecutors said Seman made to bribe his ex-wife the day before the trial in the rape case.